THE TATTOOED STRANGER

US, 1950, 64 minutes, Black and white.
John Miles, Patricia Barry, Walter Kinsella.
Directed by Edward Montagne.

The Tattooed Stranger is a well-made police thriller of 1950, echoing some of the aspects of the film noir of the 1940s but in fact looking ahead to such novels as those of Ed Mc Bain and The 87th Precinct as well as such television series as CSI.

The film is a straightforward presentation of the discovery of a woman’s body, the role of the police, the forensic information, the following of leads and the solving of the crime.

New York City is filmed to advantage and gives atmosphere. The police of the time, with their hats, look rather tranquil compared with the contemporary police. However, the film gives enough information about their methods, the footwork, the interviews, to give a realistic impression of the work.

1.An interesting police thriller? Of 1950? Of the times? Anticipating television series? Anticipating crime novels?

2.The New York settings, the city, the parks, the precincts, factories, cemeteries? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The opening, the man in the park, discovering the body, blowing the horn, the mounted police arriving, the police and the beginnings of the investigation? The forensic detail, for fingerprints etc? Going to the laboratories, the information about the gun, the information about fingerprints? The tattoos?

4.Frank Tobin, from college, service in the war? Corrigan looking down on him? Corrigan as the tough detective? Their working together, the banter, the affection growing between them? The dividing up of the work?

5.Tobin, his age, cheerfulness? With the information, speculation about the height of the man because of the car seat? The interviews? Meeting Mary, the information about the grass? Attractive, the phone calls, the meetings? Locating the grass? The danger with the shooter at the morgue, his protecting Corrigan? The visits to the cemetery, the interrogation of the manager? The solution of the case and the shootout?

6.Corrigan, tough, old-style detective work? Interviews, being shot at, saved by Tobin? The further interviews, the restaurants? The confrontation with the restaurant owner, getting the information about the dead woman?

7.The tattooists, their trade, talk? The murder of the second tattooist?

8.The captains, the authorities? Their relationship with Corrigan and Tobin, encouraging them, giving more information?

9.The background of the dead woman, the information about her husbands, finding her address, her apartment, the letters? The money fraud?

10.Going to the sculptors, Fisher, suspicions? The manager of the cemetery and the threats? The murderer, the gun? The shootout?

11.A satisfying old-style police investigation?